


Not Doing So Hot

by Nyctolovian



Series: Voltron Hurt/Comfort Bingo 2018 [8]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: ?? is that counted idk, Angst, Cold, Cuddles, Galra Keith (Voltron), Gen, Hiding Medical Issues, Hiding an injury, Hugs, Hurt Lance (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, I hope this is a selling point, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Langst, M/M, Voltron Bingo 2018, Whump, Worry, awkward hugging in the cockpit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-08-24 02:34:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16631213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyctolovian/pseuds/Nyctolovian
Summary: Lance is unusually silent after a mission.Something didn’t feel right. Everyone had expected someone to immediately take up the chance to tease Keith’s blunder.Keith straightened up. “Hey, Lance? You there?”





	Not Doing So Hot

**Author's Note:**

> Bingo Card: [Hurt/Comfort](https://nyctolovian.tumblr.com/post/180140851783/omgggg-i-love-your-writing-could-you-write)  
> Prompt: Hiding an injury/illness
> 
> i managed to whip this out all of a sudden. No warning whatsoever I suddenly could write again after many days of stagnant dying. hahahaha! Anyway, enjoy this fic! I actually quite liked writing this! Whoop!! Hope you guys enjoy reading this hahahaha!

“Everyone back in their lions?” Shiro’s voice rang through the communicators as Keith bounded towards the red lion.

One by one, everyone else sounded off that they were safe. Keith dashed up into Red and fell into his seat with a huff before reporting back as well. He flew out of the Galra station and saw the other lions as well.

Shiro’s face was displayed on their screens. “Alright, head back to the castle now,” he said. “Everyone’s good?”

“I’m good.” “Mm, yeah.” “Yup!” “Yes.”

“Alright! We just obliterated that base, guys! Good work, team!” Shiro said, smiling.

There were a few exhausted cheers and Keith joined in, “That was crazy.” He slumped further into his seat and sighed. His body ached from the intense battle just now. He could really use a nice hot shower.

There was a relieved murmur in the back of his mind. “You did well too, Red,” Keith said, patting the side of his seat.

“Aw! Keith’s so soft for his lion,” he heard Pidge’s voice over the communicator.

Face heating up, he turned off the mic for his communicator.

Shiro’s laugh followed after. “We all love our lions. Let’s be real. So let’s not make fun of Keith.”

“It’s just rare to see Keith show affection. That’s all,” Hunk replied, chuckling good-naturedly. “Turning Galra made him more affectionate, I think.”

Keith had to turn his mic back on just to reply, “I didn’t just turn Galra, Hunk. It doesn’t work that way.”

“You have become a lot less prickly these days,” Pidge pointed out. “Still a hot-head though, right?”

Keith let out a loud huff into the mic. There was a moment of silence.

Something didn’t feel right. Everyone had expected _someone_ to immediately take up the chance to tease Keith’s blunder.

Keith straightened up. “Hey, Lance? You there?”

“I was wondering the same thing,” Pidge said.

There was a soft mumble. “Hmm?”

“Lance, you doing alright?” Hunk’s voice was slightly raised.

“Yeah. ’m fine.”

He didn’t sound fine. In fact, he sounded terrible. His voice had completely changed to a gravelly sick-sounding one.

“Lance, I’m turning on your camera to check up on you, alright?” Shiro said, his voice firm and filled with concern, like a father about to open the door to his upset kid’s bedroom.

There was a rather sheepish reply. “Yeah, ’kay.”

There was a second of utter silence before Shiro broke it, “Who’s closest?”

“I am,” Keith said as he flew towards the blue lion just in front of him. “I’m going to Lance.”

“Okay. Hunk, you’ll carry the blue lion back to the castle.”

“What’s happening?” Pidge cried.

“Guess ’m not doing so hot,” Lance mumbled, voice quivering. Shiro must have made a face because he followed it with, “Too literal? Sorry. But uh… Got hit by a druid. I think?”

“Alright, Lance,” Keith said as he stood up. “Open up. I’m coming in to get you.”

Keith heard a hum of acknowledgement and he tapped a button on his helmet to seal it completely. Then, he leapt out of Red and made his way to Lance’s lion. Blue’s mouth opened and he landed there before scrambling into the ship.

The moment he got into the cockpit, he was hit with a blast of warm air. It was like a sauna in there.

“Heya, Keith, my buddy,” Lance muttered from his seat.

He was curled in on himself and shivering uncontrollably. His teeth were chattering and his skin was pale — almost blue even. Still, despite his horrid condition, Lance forced on a wobbly smile to greet the red paladin.

Keith winced.

Weakly, Lance laughed at his reaction. “I tried turning on the heaters and even for my own suit. But it really didn’t do much,” he admitted.

Keith pursed his lips. This was bad. Lance looked like he was going to freeze over any second or become a frozen sculpture. His heart was beating and his hands were sweating.

“Keith.”

Looking up, Keith saw Shiro’s look of concern on the screen. “It’s really bad,” he said helplessly. “Should– Should I… I’m…”

“Bring him onto Red and return to the castle as quick as you can. Lance’s in no shape to pilot,” Shiro replied, an anchor to Keith’s turbulence. “I’ll contact the princess and Coran.” His face disappeared from the screen.

Keith nodded firmly and fumbled again, unsure how to help Lance up. He moved from side to side as if finding the best position to lift the blue paladin.

Sighing, Lance lowered his legs and reached for Keith.

Keith grabbed his arms and pulled Lance to his feet. “Woah, you’re so warm,” Lance remarked as he draped himself onto Keith. He pressed his face into Keith’s neck and the red paladin made a noise of surprise.

Not just because Keith wasn’t used to the sudden contact, but Lance was freezing cold and stiff. Like an ice pack.

“Sorry,” Lance said as he pulled back slightly.

They both stumbled for several seconds as Lance had a hard time staying on his feet. Lance chuckled. “You’re so hopeless,” he said good-naturedly, as he threw an arm over Keith’s shoulder and leaned onto his new support. Keith grunted at the weight of the heavy long body but quickly steadied Lance.

He dragged Lance and nearly lost his balance several times. His heart was hammering against his rib cage and he felt like he wasn’t doing anything right at all.

“Hunk here. I’m outside Blue. Keith, do you need help?”

Relieved at the sign of backup, Keith sighed and said, “Yes. Lance is much heavier than I thought.”

“Hey...” Lance whined.

Hunk arrived quickly. Skilfully, he took Lance from Keith and lifted him in a princess carry. Lance practically melted into his best friend’s touch. “Hunk, you’re even warmer,” he mumbled. “Human hot water bag.” He let out a shaky sigh.

Keith grabbed Lance’s helmet from the ground and clumsily fitted it onto Lance before sealing the helmet.

“Thanks,” Hunk replied as he swiftly carried Lance out.

“Hunk, wouldn’t it be better if you carried Lance back?” Keith said, rubbing the back of his neck, as he followed after the other two. “And y-you’re warmer too.”

“Red’s way faster than Yellow, Keith. You should get Lance back asap and get Allura and Coran to look at him,” Hunk said. “And Yellow’s better built for carrying Blue.”

“Right, right. Yes. Of course,” Keith muttered under his breath. He really wasn’t making sense.

They reached Red quickly and Hunk carried Lance into the cockpit.

The communicator sparked to life again. “Coran and Allura are ready to receive Lance in Red’s hangar,” Shiro informed them.

“Okay.” Hunk’s brow was furrowed. “Keith, please bring Lance to the castle quickly. And, Lance, hang in there, okay?”

With hooded eyes, Lance nodded. When he was placed down, his hands reached out weakly and he let out a whimper at the loss, curling in on himself again.

Without hesitation, Keith held Lance’s shivering hands in his and pulled him closer. _Anything to stop the hurting._

When Hunk disappeared through the exit and returned to the yellow lion, a heavy sense of helplessness washed over Keith once again. He bit his lip. How was he going to pilot now? He couldn’t bear to leave Lance alone. It felt like Lance would slowly freeze away. He needed human warmth.

Finally, Keith said with stubborn determination, “You’re coming with me.”

“What?”

Gritting his teeth, Keith lifted Lance rather roughly and Lance pushed himself up to ease things for the red paladin. The two of them went to the pilot seat.

Keith nearly dropped Lance into the seat before he removed Lance’s helmet. Then, he took off his armour and threw it on the floor, instructing Lance to raise his hands.

Exhausted and confused, Lance did as he was told and his chest plate was slipped off quickly. Lance winced and shuddered from the sudden cold. Just as he was about to curl up into himself again, Keith smacked his legs back down and sat down between Lance’s knees with his back against Lance’s chest. “Oof!”

Shifting forward so he wasn’t squishing Lance into the back of the seat, Keith muttered a sheepish apology as he roughly grabbed Lance’s arms and wrapped them around his waist. Then, he turned the temperature in the cockpit up. “Is this fine, Lance?” he asked as he shifted around on the edge of the seat, readying himself. “I’m taking off, okay?”

“Alright,” Lance huffed into his hair. “Oh man, I’d be lying if I said this was uncomfortable. But, dude, this feels so weird.”

“I’m trying my best, Lance,” Keith muttered.

And Red took off.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm actually wondering if I should write a sequel to this. It'll mostly just be comfort with even more cuddles. But I can't guarantee anything (as usual) because I'm terrible at knowing for sure whether or not I'll write stuff. I tend to say "yeah!" and then completely lose motivation/interest. So best of luck to me? I hope you guys still enjoy this though!!
> 
> [This](https://nyctolovian.tumblr.com) is where you can find me on tumblr! Talk to me and stuff! :) I'm super friendly (but awkward... does that make sense?) Anyway, comments are a huge encouragement for me but kudos are helpful too (ofc comments are the best and I'll love you)


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